Calf Mana after Weaning

Hi, I'm new. I currently have 6 does. Three kitted over the past week. These are my first litters. I started with a bit of a hodgepodge from people around where I live. The three rabbits that kitted - all first time moms - are Champagne D'Argents who I mated to my Californian. Everything seems find. My other three rabbits are Cal/NZ mixes.

I plan on weaning them at 6 weeks and immediately breeding the doe again. I've seen lots of different advice on this. I would like to get at least 5 litters per doe per year. 4 weeks to kit plus 6 weeks to wean makes 54 weeks from first breeding until the 5th litter is 10 weeks old and ready to sell. Am I doing this right?

My real question is how to feed the kits Calf-Manna. I'll have six kits in each grow-out cage. Do I just put six teaspoons in a bowl and let them go at it? I know I shouldn't put it in the feeder or they will dig for it. I want to sell all my fryers right at 10 weeks and have them as filled out as possible.

Thanks for the help. I do have some top quality breeding stock on order - 8 NZ does and a buck directly from Texas A&M. Once they get old enough to start having litters then I'll replace my mixed stock.

Great forum. I'll start reading all the threads. Hopefully I won't get too confused.

Tony

This is just my opinion, but...I feel that the best way to get optimum growth for fryers is to begin with good genetics, free feed, and wean them onto whatever you plan on finishing them on.
Anytime you add something new to a fryer's diet, you are risking diahrea that could cost you weeks of growth. I don't know of any supplement that will put more meat on a fryer than they would normally get from good feed.
Also, make sure to check out the ingredients in calf manna. It's mostly corn. I can't seem to find anything in it that warrants the high price tag. :hmm: